I Have a Summerhouse with Veranda – How Do I Get Rid of Autumn Leaves?

06.01.2020

I Have a Summerhouse with Veranda - How Do I Get Rid of Autumn Leaves?

Autumn is a strong contender for being the most beautiful season of all. And one of the major reasons for the gorgeous scenery we get each year is the falling leaves that change colors as they go. However, as soon as they hit the ground, mud and rain transform them into a nasty mulch than won’t do your summerhouse with veranda any favours.

But raking them is only the first step of the process. What do you do to remove them? Here are all the tips you need plus some of the best ways in which you can get rid of the leaves in your garden and veranda.

Tip – Please be aware that all the tips and advice listed here are general ones. However, most local councils and communities have rules and legislation of their own that might not allow you to do one or more of these things. Therefore, before you proceed with any of these cleanup initiatives, please make sure you have permission from your local council.

#1. Mow them over

Let’s start with an easy solution. This one works if you only have a short amount of fallen leaves in your garden or on your veranda. Sweep everything onto the grass and mow it over like you normally do.

The action of the lawnmower will shred the leaves into very small pieces, basically turning them into natural mulch. As they are faced with the natural elements over the winter and the following spring, they will get reabsorbed into the ground.

Tip – if you can, try to even out the layer of fallen leaves onto the grass if you’re going for this solution. Don’t allow a very thick clump of leaves to lie on your lawn. It will only prevent moisture and sunlight to get to the grass itself, which will eventually dry out by springtime. Use a rake to rearrange the leaves lightly and to get them as far away from your summerhouse with veranda as possible. In this way you will avoid any damages.

#2. Turn the leaves into compost

You knew this one was coming! Of course, the most natural thing to do if you have a large quantity of fallen leaves in your garden and you want to get them away from your summerhouse with veranda is to feed them into your compost pile.

You can shred them before simply because they will decompose a lot faster if you do that. When the compost is ready, you can use it for your flower beds or rows of vegetables.

#3. Throw them away

Let’s say you don’t have a compost pile or a lawn. What then? You just have to throw the leaves away! But be careful because this will be a bit labour intensive, so you have been warned!

The process is as simple and basic as they come. The tools you will need are a pair of gloves, a set of garbage bags, and a rake. Collect all the fallen leaves from your garden into the garbage bags.

The next step is to discard them. But be careful because you can’t just throw them away and expect them to be collected like regular trash. Do some research to find out if your city provides this type of service that refers to collecting fallen leaves during the cold seasons. If not, dedicated websites will inform you how to dispose of them correctly. Please, be aware that simply throwing the garbage bags into the normal bins might get you a fine.

#4. Use a leaf blower

This might be the easiest and less time consuming solution of all when it comes to disposing of leaves off your summerhouse with a veranda. You have a few options. For example, you can blow them into a corner of your garden and then use a rake to create a big compost heap.

Otherwise, you can use the same rake to distribute them into garbage bags, as shown above. People who live near the edge of a forest or open field are the luckiest of all. You can simply blow the fallen leaves there, where they will become natural mulch for the soil.

However, if you live in an urban area, please do not blow fallen leaves into the street. They can pile up very easily and clog waterways and drains. This might be a good solution for your summerhouse with veranda but a real nuisance for the sidewalk!

#5. Burn the leaves

This is another effortless solution but one that might require you to get a permit before you proceed. Make sure the area you live in allows the burning of leaves in the first place or that the process is permitted during these months.

Secondly, if you do get a permit, please exercise caution while doing this. Do not burn the entire pile at once! Always burn only small quantities of leaves at a time. In this way, if the fire gets out of control, you can easily put it out.

Direct the fire to an open area, as far away from your summerhouse with veranda, main house, and garage as you can. Always keep a running hose near by at all times. Do not allow small children and animals to participate in this process.

If you live near a forest or if you have trees and shrubbery in your own garden, do not light the fire directly underneath the trees or next to the shrubbery. They can catch fire very easily, especially in the autumn when they are dry.

Bag them, rake them, blow them into the woods, or burn them, there are many ways in which you can dispose of those pesky dead leaves that can damage your summerhouse with veranda so much. The important thing is to choose a solution that works for you, your garden, and the environment you are living in.